Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a transaction processing system using a home-use terminal in which transaction such as stock dealings, betting on a race-horse, or advance booking can be carried out at home. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with a transaction processing system utilizing a teletext broadcasting system and a home-use terminal used in such a transaction processing system.
Recently, there has been considerable activity in the development of a transaction processing system in which a user can carry out transaction at home by means of a less-expensive, simple, home-use terminal. In such a transaction processing system, the home-use terminal of the user is connected to a host computer of a transaction processing center of a company via a public communications line. Service information necessary for a transaction is given to the home-use terminal from the host computer, and the user sends the company a transaction request in response to the received information. For example, in stock dealings, the company sends the user information concerning a movement in the stock market, such as a fluctuation in prices of stocks. Then, the user sends the company a request for buying or selling of a desired stock upon seeing the received information.
In a transaction processing system as described above, service information necessary for transaction is sent to the user more times than trading is actually carried out. In many cases, the number of times that service information necessary for transaction is sent to the user is several tens times the number of times that transaction is actually carried out. For example, in a mail-order system, information request is repeatedly carried out many times until the user receives information concerning a desired item. It is to be noted that such information given to the user from the transaction processing center of the company before the actual transaction is offered free. In actuality, the company provides a large number of communications lines in order to smoothly provide the users with service information necessary for transaction. This increases the cost of transaction and affects the viability of the company.